Improvement in devices for winding clocks



J; N. RICE. DEVICE FOR WINDING CLOCKS.

lNo.17Z,499. Patented Jan.18,1876.

M/ Afl ra N PETERS, PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C.

' To all whom it may concern:

nature of my invention consists in the contral orifices N of larger diameter than the cen- UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. RICE, OF PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES'FOR WINDING CLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 172,499, dated January 18, 1876; application filed January 6, 1876.

Be it known that 1, JAMES N. RICE, of Pi ttston, in the county ofLuzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Winding Clocks and other Machinery; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it'appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates particularly to clocks, but may be applied to other machinery, such as toys, telegraph-machines, or other devices that are run by springs or weights; and the strnction and general arrangement of an attachment for clocks or such other machinery as it may be applied to, for winding up the same with ease and rapidity, and dispensing with the keys generally used for such purposes, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawing, Figure 1 is an interior view of my attachment. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same through the line or m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of my invention complete.

M represents a barrel of suitable dimensions, similar to the barrel of a key for winding clocks, upon which is permanently secured a toothed wheel or ratchet-wheel, E. Around this wheel is placed an annular ring or plate, I), having a suitable recess made in its inner edge to receive a pawl, A, and spring B, acting thereon to engage with the ratchet-wheel. O and F represent circular plates, having center barrel M, but of smaller diameter than the ratchet-wheel, and said plates are fastened, one on each side of the annular ring D, by bolts, rivets, or any other suitable means, the three plates thus forming a wheel which is free to turn on the ratchet-wheel. Before securing the parts together, as just described, the pawl A and spring B are inserted in the recess in the ring D, and the pawl pivoted to the plates 0 F, when the same are fastened to the ring. The center apertures N of the plates 0 and F being of larger diameter than that of the barrel M, it will be seen that said plates groove around the wheel of suitable size to receive three or more coils of a wire-cord, J. The ring D is of the same thickness as the ratchet-wheel and of the cord J so that the cord will just fill the space between the plates 0 F, and no two coils of the cord can come alongside of each other, but will fall, one on top of the other. The inner end of this cord J is fastened in a slot, G, in the outer edge of the ring D. Around the front end of the barrel M, next to the plate F, is an ordinary coilspring, H, the inner end of which is made fast to the surrounding frame I, and the outer end to the plate F. I represents aframe made of two narrow strips of sheet metal suitably bent and fastened together, and having the entire device, constructed as above described, placed between them, the front end of the barrel M, however, being passed into a hole in one side of the frame, so as to properly hold the device in place. This frame I need only be thick enough to simply contain the spring and wheel; or, in other words, one side of the frame lies close to the spring H, and the other side of the frame lies close to the plate 0 of the wheel; hence the device will take up but very little room.

The main object of this invention is to wind up clocks with ease and rapidity, and the attachment as described is complete in itself, and may be applied to clocks now in use as well as to new ones being made. It is placed on the ordinary windingarbor between the clockframe and the dial, and fastened to said clockframe in any suitable manner. The wire-cord J can then be passed out through an opening in the side or bottom of the clock-case. By pulling out this cord the wheel is rotated, and by means of the ratchet device rotates the barrel M and the winding-arbor on which it is placed. The recoil-spring H at once winds up the cord again, when it may again be pulled out, and so on until the clock is entirely wound up.

In the manufacture of this attachment the plates 0 F and ring D may be all struck up or stamped out with suitable dies, and the frame I is simply formed, as stated, of two strips of metalone straight, with its ends turned over to form guides, and the other strip is bent, so that its ends may be slipped under 1. In a winding attachment for clocks and other machinery run by springs or weights, a Winding drum or wheel provided with an interior ratchetwheel, attached to a central spindle, and the drum or wheel having its bearing and turning upon the periphery of the ratchet-wheel, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a winding attachment for clocks and other machinery, the wheel or winding-drum, constructed of the annular ring D and exterior plates (J F, whereby an interior recess is formed to receive the ratchet-wheel, and. a circumferential groove to receive the windingcord, substantially as herein set forth. 3. In combination with the wheel 0 D F, the interior ratchet-wheel E, pawl A, barrel M, recoil-spring H, and twisted-wire cable J, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. As an article of manufacture, an apparatus consisting of a central barrel, a ratchetwheel and paw], a winding drum or wheel, a wire-cord, and a recoil-spring, the whole placed in a frame, and forming a complete and independent attachment i'or clocks and other machinery', for the purpose of winding the same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. N. RICE.

Witnesses:

ABEL BARKER, O. L. EVER'I. 

